Paul McCartney bass playing

[Number6]

I prefer Jaco personally.

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1449618095' post='2925351']
Saying you don't recognize one of the world's top bass player as a bass player is either trolling or straight up ignorance .

If you can't feel Paul or recognize him as a bass player, you really should consider dropping bass and trying another instrument.

Just my honest opinion.

Blue
[/quote]
i don't recognise him as a bass player.

i recognise him as a multi instrumentalist and one of the most successful song writers ever who happened to be a solid player of the instrument i love playing.

his career has spanned decades and not all of them as a bass player, so to only identify him as a only bass player is somewhat unfair to him.

just my honest opinion tho. maybe ill drop bass and take up one of the many other instruments i recognise him with.

[scrumpymike]

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1449257961' post='2922084']
What do you guys think he does well?
[/quote]

In response to the OP:

1) Co-writing Beatles songs; 2) Singing Beatles songs; 3) Playing bass on Beatles songs.


In response to Blue:

I'm about the same age as you and can at least match your enthusiasm for Macca (OK, he's my Number 1 Bass Hero!!) - but that has a lot to do with being high on teenage hormones at the time the Beatles were 'happening'. As you said yourself, Blue: "You had to be there!", so should we be surprised that those who weren't there when we were are into different things?


In response to everybody else:

Great thread, interesting views, and amazing just how well Beatle- and Macca-mania have stood the test of time.


Last but not least, here's my thought for the day: How big an influence was George on Paul's bass playing (that's Martin not Harrison btw ).

[blue]

[quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1449733739' post='2926295']


I'd just rather let them enjoy it!
[/quote]

Good point.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1449779471' post='2926830']

i don't recognise him as a bass player.

i recognise him as a multi instrumentalist and one of the most successful song writers ever who happened to be a solid player of the instrument i love playing.

his career has spanned decades and not all of them as a bass player, so to only identify him as a only bass player is somewhat unfair to him.

just my honest opinion tho. maybe ill drop bass and take up one of the many other instruments i recognise him with.
[/quote]

Not a bad come back.

Blue

[JTUK]

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1449779598' post='2926832']
In response to the OP:

1) Co-writing Beatles songs; 2) Singing Beatles songs; 3) Playing bass on Beatles songs.


In response to Blue:

I'm about the same age as you and can at least match your enthusiasm for Macca (OK, he's my Number 1 Bass Hero!!) - but that has a lot to do with being high on teenage hormones at the time the Beatles were 'happening'. As you said yourself, Blue: "You had to be there!", so should we be surprised that those who weren't there when we were are into different things?


In response to everybody else:

Great thread, interesting views, and amazing just how well Beatle- and Macca-mania have stood the test of time.


[b]Last but not least, here's my thought for the day: How big an influence was George on Paul's bass playing (that's Martin not Harrison btw [/b] ).
[/quote]

Would not know...but how long did Martin work with them... possibly mainly in the formative years..?

The thing about the Beatles impact at the time..they were an explosion and they had hits, but maybe other
acts have done the same sort of thing...where an act is more popular than... but Beatle Mania
was probably the first mania, certainly on that scale and it was a one off time/trend.

So, from a social/cultural point of view...HUUUGGGEEEEE and unprecedented.
Musically, the songs certainly stand the test of time

Musician-wise... not so much, IMO.

[wombatboter]

Maybe also important : how much influence did Geoff Emerick have since he worked on McCartney's sound a lot and experimented quite a bit..

[funkgod]

Yep i liked his playing also
and lets not forget singing as well, how many of you can do that ???
its not easy.
but he does have his short comings now and again i find funny.
for eg
( not faulting here i just think its funny)
he made a point of telling the guys its work and stop goofin but
in this 10 bar song "That's alright mama" from 2:07 looses a whole bar
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDWfOSKccLM"]https://www.youtube....h?v=tDWfOSKccLM[/url]

for the fun ...here is a great clip of Elvis in the studio with a great feel on the bass.
( clearly showing how it should be done, no doubt the guy was contagious)

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKOjcoJMyXw"]https://www.youtube....h?v=DKOjcoJMyXw[/url]

Edited December 12, 2015 by funkgod

[Painy]

[quote name='funkgod' timestamp='1449927469' post='2928062']
Yep i liked his playing also
and lets not forget singing as well, how many of you can do that ???
its not easy.
[/quote]

I sing (mainly backing and harmonies) and play and have done for nearly 20 years now but the first song I ever learned to sing and play together was Lady Madonna!
The fairly busy riff and then all those octaves jumping around all over the neck was challenging enough for me to play at the standard I was at at the time but singing along was a whole new level of difficulty. I've had a certain amount of respect for him ever since.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Painy

[JTUK]

A guy I played with was sacked/released by him...well, by his accountant.

He didn't much like his 'settlement' figure....(lucky to get one..?)
so the accountant asked him what he thought the figure should be.

The accountant didn't bat an eyelid and wrote out the cheque for that revised
figure.

[funkgod]

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1449930639' post='2928103']
I sing (mainly backing and harmonies) and play and have done for nearly 20 years now but the first song I ever learned to sing and play together was Lady Madonna!
The fairly busy riff and then all those octaves jumping around all over the neck was challenging enough for me to play at the standard I was at at the time but singing along was a whole new level of difficulty. I've had a certain amount of respect for him ever since.
[/quote]

you already sound way ahead of me,
I find it hard, i feel if i had sang as i was learning rather than putting all the effort in just playing the bass i would be better now.. its so much harder later on trying to do it.
sorry.. thats sort of obvious.
with me it depends on what im playing if for eg playing rock n roll lines then its not so bad as you dont really think about what your playing, fingers just land in the right places, but lines where more thought goes in, rhythmic lines say i got no chance.
same rules apply with backing vocals.
my hat off to all those who can.

Edited December 12, 2015 by funkgod

[grandad]

All My Lovin = no problem

8 Days a week = no way

Strange how some numbers are easy to sing along to yet others so tricky. PM was certainly an accomplished singer/bassist, not an easy thing to do.

In his biography Sting tells how he struggled early on to sing and play bass and kept his bass lines pretty simple initially.

[blue]

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1449850145' post='2927535']
Maybe also important : how much influence did Geoff Emerick have since he worked on McCartney's sound a lot and experimented quite a bit..
[/quote]

Agreed,I read Geoff"s book, "Here There and Everywhere"

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1449824634' post='2927116']


Would not know...but how long did Martin work with them... possibly mainly in the formative years..?

The thing about the Beatles impact at the time..they were an explosion and they had hits, but maybe other
acts have done the same sort of thing...where an act is more popular than... but Beatle Mania
was probably the first mania, certainly on that scale and it was a one off time/trend.

So, from a social/cultural point of view...HUUUGGGEEEEE and unprecedented.
Musically, the songs certainly stand the test of time

Musician-wise... not so much, IMO.
[/quote]

The simple riffs and licks George came up with have stood The test of time and will go down in musical history.

In 30 years no one will remember any of hot shot shredders. George will always be with us.

Blue

[mr zed]

Looks like George Martin has added some echo.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1449990716' post='2928553']
Looks like George Martin has added some echo.
[/quote]

[JTUK]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1449979244' post='2928544']
The simple riffs and licks George came up with have stood The test of time and will go down in musical history.

In 30 years no one will remember any of hot shot shredders. George will always be with us.

Blue
[/quote]

hmmm so that is Hendrix and Jaco
done for....
done for....
done for.. ???

[Biglump]

So, has Macca influeced me as a 50 year old newbie bassist born in the same ward as Lennon?
Well, 8 days a week is a seriously good test for playing live. Sometimes I can even look up and smile...
And yes, the Beatles as a whole are still a huge influence round here. (Liverpool and Wirral)
Sure there was a period where they dipped in popularity, but every time the pendulum swings one way it swings the other, thy had to go 'out' until they could come back 'in'.

I think we are lucky to have Blue and his US perpective.
The UK would fit into a single state, teritory wise.

The physical distance between The Mersey beat and Madchester would be microscopic by US standards.
And thus the differences between the UK centres uninteligibley small.

The US is sooooooooo big and everywhere soooooooo far away along roads that are sooooooooo similar that personalities take on much greater importance than here in the UK.

I can, if I want go sit in the same seat in the same pub they drank in on Mathew Street today.
I can go see people play tonight who knew Macca and the rest first hand.
I'll probably be jamming with some this afternoon without knowing.
Hell, I can even book the Quarrymen to play in my lounge if want to.

I'm saying perspective depends on distance from the object being viewed.

[EssentialTension]

I feel luckier when the USA does not take precedence over the UK.

[blue]

[quote name='Biglump' timestamp='1450013839' post='2928759']
So, has Macca influeced me as a 50 year old newbie bassist born in the same ward as Lennon?
Well, 8 days a week is a seriously good test for playing live. Sometimes I can even look up and smile...
And yes, the Beatles as a whole are still a huge influence round here. (Liverpool and Wirral)
Sure there was a period where they dipped in popularity, but every time the pendulum swings one way it swings the other, thy had to go 'out' until they could come back 'in'.

I think we are lucky to have Blue and his US perpective.
The UK would fit into a single state, teritory wise.

The physical distance between The Mersey beat and Madchester would be microscopic by US standards.
And thus the differences between the UK centres uninteligibley small.

The US is sooooooooo big and everywhere soooooooo far away along roads that are sooooooooo similar that personalities take on much greater importance than here in the UK.

I can, if I want go sit in the same seat in the same pub they drank in on Mathew Street today.
I can go see people play tonight who knew Macca and the rest first hand.
I'll probably be jamming with some this afternoon without knowing.
Hell, I can even book the Quarrymen to play in my lounge if want to.

I'm saying perspective depends on distance from the object being viewed.
[/quote]

Very nice story. I always say, .you had to be there" and you obviously were.

I have a 55 year old brother and it's even hard to explain their impact to him.
Blue

Edited December 13, 2015 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1450009851' post='2928713']


hmmm so that is Hendrix and Jaco
done for....
done for....
done for.. ???
[/quote]

Hendrix and Jaco were not shredders. They stand with George as innovators.

Blue

[JellyKnees]

[quote name='Biglump' timestamp='1450013839' post='2928759']
So, has Macca influeced me as a 50 year old newbie bassist born in the same ward as Lennon?
Well, 8 days a week is a seriously good test for playing live. Sometimes I can even look up and smile...
And yes, the Beatles as a whole are still a huge influence round here. (Liverpool and Wirral)
Sure there was a period where they dipped in popularity, but every time the pendulum swings one way it swings the other, thy had to go 'out' until they could come back 'in'.

I think we are lucky to have Blue and his US perpective.
The UK would fit into a single state, teritory wise.

The physical distance between The Mersey beat and Madchester would be microscopic by US standards.
And thus the differences between the UK centres uninteligibley small.

The US is sooooooooo big and everywhere soooooooo far away along roads that are sooooooooo similar that personalities take on much greater importance than here in the UK.

I can, if I want go sit in the same seat in the same pub they drank in on Mathew Street today.
I can go see people play tonight who knew Macca and the rest first hand.
I'll probably be jamming with some this afternoon without knowing.
Hell, I can even book the Quarrymen to play in my lounge if want to.

I'm saying perspective depends on distance from the object being viewed.
[/quote]

I'm 49 (from Birkenhead) and no one that I knew around my age was really interested in the Beatles when I got into playing music in the late 70s early 80s. It was great. There was a sense of optimism and people were looking forward. Now we have this endless nostalgia BS and this whole Beatles tourism industry. Tedious.

[timmo]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1450030394' post='2928937']
I'm 49 (from Birkenhead) and no one that I knew around my age was really interested in the Beatles when I got into playing music in the late 70s early 80s. It was great. There was a sense of optimism and people were looking forward. Now we have this endless nostalgia BS and this whole Beatles tourism industry. Tedious.
[/quote]If it brings jobs and money to the area, then that has to be a good thing doesn`t it?

[JellyKnees]

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1450030807' post='2928952']
If it brings jobs and money to the area, then that has to be a good thing doesn`t it?
[/quote]

If people are dumb enough to stand and gawp at the Cavern that isn't really the Cavern then I guess they deserve to be exploited....

[timmo]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1450030967' post='2928954']
If people are dumb enough to stand and gawp at the Cavern that isn't really the Cavern then I guess they deserve to be exploited....
[/quote]That seems to be another of those, "I don`t like it, so no one should" comments that seems to be pretty prevalent on these boards lately. I don`t really understand why people want to go to Liverpool, but people are free to spend their money how they choose.

Edited December 13, 2015 by timmo